Bond
by Jujubee1981
Summary: Brennan and Booth attend a formal event together. Action and romance will certainly ensue! Keep an eye on the rating. This will not stay 'K'.
1. Chapter 1

"Booth!" Brennan's voice said urgently through his door. She knocked again. "We're late!"

"Hang on!" Booth jogged from his bedroom, zipping up his trousers, and flipped open the lock for her. She immediately opened the door and came in. She looked him over. He was wearing the lower half of a tuxedo and had a smear of shaving cream under his chin.

"You aren't even ready yet!" She accused, her eyebrows drawing together.

"I know, I know!" Booth said in a harassed tone. "I got stuck at the office. I'll be one minute, I swear." He jogged back into the bedroom and returned pulling on a white dress shirt and holding a tie in his teeth. He hastily tucked in the shirt and shrugged into his jacket, shoving the tie into his pocket. "Let's go." He said, patting his chest and hip pockets to check for his wallet and keys.

"You have some…" Brennan pointed at his chin.

"What?"

She looked around and spotted a damp bath towel slung on the back of a chair. Picking it up, she swiped at the shaving cream. "There." She said, stepping back.

Booth stood like a statue for a breath before taking her elbow and hustling her out the door. As they exited the building and got into her car, he slid her a sidelong glance up and down. She was wearing a burgundy dress, fitted all the way to the floor, which would've been strapless and backless except it had some kind of see-through fabric over the top of it. Her hair was up in a loose pile of curls and she had on really big sparkling earrings. "You look beautiful, by the way." Booth said considerately. His eyes warmed and his lips curved.

Brennan smiled. "So do you." She replied.

"Oh, yeah?" Booth said with a grin and a cocky tilt of his jaw. "Beautiful, huh? I was going for _Bond_."

Brennan's eyebrows shot up with joy. "I know who that is!" She said, pointing at him.

Booth laughed and flipped down his mirror so he could put on his tie. "So you ready for your big speech?" He asked as he expertly wound a single Windsor knot.

Brennan blew out a breath. "I'm prepared." She answered, not really responding to the question.

"Hey, Bones." Booth finished with his tie and turned to her with dark, searching eyes. "I know you don't like these things but…you'll do great. You're the best in your field. You'll knock 'em dead."

"Thank you." Brennan said with a small smile. "And thank you for escorting me."

"My pleasure." Booth gave her a comic wince. "Maybe just don't call me your 'escort', okay?"

Brennan gave one of her husky chuckles and pulled her car into the lot of the museum wing of the Jeffersonian.


	2. Chapter 2

Booth was out of the car and around to the driver's side to help Brennan out before the engine even died. Brennan normally didn't have much use for chivalry, but given the height of her heels and the narrow skirt of her dress…

"Thank you." She said, letting him take her hand and help her from the car and close the door behind her.

Booth eyed her shoes. They had very high heels and skinny straps that went around her slender ankles. If ever there were shoes that could drive a man to foot fetish, these were the shoes. Or perhaps it was the feet inside the shoes...Booth shook himself. "Can you walk in those things?" He said, indicating the distance from the remote lot to the building. "It's my fault we were here late. I could drop you at the door and park."

Brennan gave him a gleaming look of amusement that made him feel uncomfortably as if she could read his mind. "I can walk in them." She said. Still, she picked up the skirt of her dress slightly with one hand and hooked her arm through his.

_Sweet Mary_. Booth thought when her scent hit him. She was wearing some kind of perfume that, quite simply, reached out, wrapped itself around his glands, and squeezed.

"I'm going to start my speech with a humorous anecdote." She announced, oblivious to the mental and physical scramble he was experiencing.

"Oh yeah? Leading in with a joke, huh?" Booth said, recovering with a grin down at her.

"Yes, I thought I'd tell about the chicken plant. Do you mind?" Brennan asked.

"Me? No, I don't mind. Being tarred a feathered is funny stuff." Booth said. "Watch your step there." He pointed to a rough spot in the pavement and gently steered Brennan around it. "You, uh, smell good."

"Angela sprayed something on me today." She replied. "She picked my dress too."

"Angela deserves a medal." Booth said with a slightly less-than-casual grin, looking her over frankly. He was quite certain there was no way she could be wearing a bra.

Brennan gave another of those low, throaty chuckles. Booth's intent eyes caught the slight warming in her cheeks and he pondered it privately and with, he could admit now, hope.

The partners reached the entrance to the museum and two museum interns in rented tuxedos opened the doors for them. They were greeted, at gale force, by Angela Montenegro in a blue sequined flapper-style dress. "See Sweetie? You look fantastic! Didn't I say so?" She said without preamble, enveloping Brennan in a hug. Brennan regained her balance and tucked her hand into Booth's elbow again. Angela swept a very female eye over Booth. "Well! Agent Booth! If I may say so: _yum_."

Booth, taking up the friendly flirtation he shared with Angela, gave her a cocky grin. "Back atcha, Miss Montenegro." He said suavely, offering his other elbow with an open look of masculine appreciation at her. Angela gave him a gleaming smile and took his elbow. Booth glanced between the two women on his arms and his grin spread. "Lucky son of a gun." He said to them, referring to himself. Both women smirked.

"Did you find our table?" Brennan asked Angela.

"Up there." Angela pointed her clutch to a table at the front of the room, beside a large dance floor and speaker's podium. Hodgins, Sweets, and Daisy Wick were seated there. Daisy was speaking to Hodgins avidly. Hodgins wore a look of incredulity on his face. Sweets appeared to be trying to referee the conversation. "Hm. I'm going to go save Hodgins." Angela said. She let go of Booth and beelined for Hodgins, snatching up his hand with a grin at Daisy and Sweets and hauling him behind her to the bar. Hodgins' naked adoration for Angela showed plainly on his face as he ordered drinks and looked at her with glowing blue eyes.

"Poor Hodgins." Brennan said with a rare flash of sympathy.

"Don't count him out yet, Bones." Booth said with a smirk, watching them. Angela leaned toward Hodgins and laughed at something he said, putting her hand on his chest. "They're in love with each other, they just need to work out the details."

Brennan slid Booth a sidelong glance. "Should we join them?" She asked.

Booth blinked, momentarily reading far too much into her question, before saying. "Yeah, let's grease the social wheels." He said with a smile. They walked over to the bar.

Hodgins saw them first and said. "Hey, guys." With a bright smile.

Booth shook the scientist's hand with a smile. Hodgins looked at Brennan as Booth ordered a short whiskey for himself and a glass of red wine for Brennan without consulting her.

"Hey, Doctor B, looking…hot." Hodgins said with widened eyes and a smirk. Brennan laughed.

"Thanks, Hodgins. You look very handsome tonight." Brennan returned.

"Mm. Men should always wear tuxes." Agreed Angela, looking between Booth and Hodgins with half-lowered eyelids. "Or nothing." She added.

"I," said Hodgins with a grin, "am going to dance with _both_ of you ladies."

"Oh, do you dance, Hodgins?" Brennan asked.

"Nope." Replied Angela with an affectionate look at Hodgins. Hodgins shot her a look of mock outrage.

Brennan laughed. "I would happy to dance with you." She said with a friendly smile.

"I would be happy to dance with Booth, too." Angela said with a grin.

Booth chuckled. "You're on, Ange." He said.

Angela clapped her hands with glee. "A salsa?" She asked.

"If they play one." Booth said, moving his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I get a slow dance." Hodgins said firmly, sending Angela a meaningful glance.

"That's all you can manage, Twinkle-Toes." Angela said teasingly with an expression on her face that belied her words and said she was very much looking forward to a slow dance with Hodgins.

The group's drinks were handed over the bar and all four sought out their table.

Cam had joined Sweets and Daisy and was diplomatically listening to Daisy gush about the decorations and general atmosphere.

"…I mean, we don't get to dress up much so it's _so fun_ to be here." Daisy enthused. "Did you see…oh, hi Doctor Brennan! I can't believe we're at the same table with you!"

"Hello Miss Wick." Brennan said.

"Oh, Agent Booth! You look…wow." Daisy said, her eyes widening. Sweets frowned and put an arm around her.

"Thank, Daisy." Booth said with a polite smile. "You look very nice tonight." He pulled out a chair for Brennan while Hodgins did the same for Angela.

"Oh, thanks!" Daisy said. "I got this dress just for tonight. I told Lance that…"

Brennan interrupted her. "Did you make any progress on the unidentified Caucasian male this afternoon?"

Diverted, Daisy gave a progress report on her findings, displaying her high intelligence and expertise. When she drew to a close, a small man rose to the podium and started the evening's events, inviting Cam up to speak when he concluded.

Booth zoned out, letting his mind wander around the woman seated next to him. He watched her from the corner of his eye, giving in to his imagination in a way he rarely allowed himself to do. Brennan started clapping and jerked him from his thoughts, he joined in the applause as Cam took her seat and Brennan was introduced. Catering staff began bringing out plates.

"Good evening." Brennan said with a smile to the assembled guests, staff, and donors filling the room. "I'm honored and pleased to be asked to address you tonight on the subject of three dimensional imaging. I'm even more pleased that the main course tonight is salmon, because if it were chicken I wouldn't be able to tell you about the chicken man without spoiling your appetites."

A chuckle rolled through the crowd. Brennan, emboldened by the response, continued her speech. The crowd laughed at her description of being 'tarred and feathered' with Booth during the investigation and Brennan skillfully wove in the critical role 3-D imaging played in closing the case.

"...I'll close with this thought: tonight you are being asked to donate to the Archaeology department so they can obtain a 3-D imaging platform like the one we use in our work with the FBI. Without such technology...and perhaps Agent Booth's willingness to sacrifice his tie in the spirit of scientific inquiry…some mysteries cannot be solved. I encourage you to donate generously. Thank you." The crowd applauded as Brennan took her seat and the director of the Archaeology department took her place at the podium, outlining the potential uses of 3-D imaging in his work. Brennan sat down and Booth reached over to squeeze her forearm with an encouraging look.

Soon dessert was served and speeches gave way to music and mingling.

"How did I do?" Brennan asked Booth candidly, knowing he would give an honest response.

"You were great." Booth said with a smile. "Come on, let's dance before Hodgins gets hold of you and breaks all your toes."

"Hey, man, I heard that." Hodgins said without any real rancor. Booth smirked and pulled Brennan to her feet and out onto the dance floor, which had filled quickly.

Pulling Brennan gracefully into his arms, Booth silently thanked his grandfather for insisting both Booth boys learn how to dance. His right palm rested on the transparent fabric covering the small of her back and brought her firmly forward until their bodies nearly touched. Brennan had to tilt her head back to look into his face.

"I have to make sure I greet the board members from the Institute but we don't have to stay too late. I know you've got to work tomorrow." She said.

"Don't worry about it." Booth said. "We'll stay as long as you like. I'm your escort, remember?"

Brennan laughed and relaxed into him, enjoying his strong arms and sure lead as they moved smoothly around the floor.

"Agent Booth?" A harried male voice said behind Booth's back.

"No cutting in." Booth said with a laugh, spinning in his dance steps to face the man who had been acting as M.C. The man looked ashen. Booth gently halted the dance and loosened his grip on Brennan's waist but continuing to clasp her hand as she turned to face the small man with him.

"I…my apologies." The man's eyes were widened anxiously. "I'm Doctor Stringer with…with the Archaeology department. Would you…would you mind coming with me? We have a situation."

Booth glanced quickly at Brennan and they followed the small man from the main ballroom into the small exhibits that had been roped off for the evening.

"There." Dr. Stringer said, pointing to a corner of the exhibit room with a slightly shaky hand.

"Damn." Booth said. "Close all the exits. No one leaves till I say so."

The director of the Archaeology department, who had only minutes before spoken from the podium, lay crumpled against a wall beneath a smear of blood. Dead.


	3. Chapter 3

"Look, I'm with the FBI. I was on the scene before the body was even cold. This happened at the Jeffersonian, which has a special arrangement with the FBI. You can cut me in now or I can call the FBI A.D. at…" Booth checked his watch. "_midnight _and tell him all about it. Either way, I'll wind up in charge of this." He looked coolly at the police detective in front of him, a somewhat astonishingly built brunette. She narrowed her eyes, sizing him up, and conceded. She was smart and knew when to cut her losses.

"Fair enough, Bond." She said with a twitch of her lips.

"It's Booth." Booth said, fighting a smile. "And I think you made a good call, Detective Mewes."

She lifted one eyebrow. "Come on, James, crime scene booties won't coordinate with your threads but you'll need 'em. You can borrow some incredibly stylish D.C. Metro gear. And since you're the boss now, call me Alexa."

Booth followed her to her vehicle parked immediately at the museum entrance to borrow police clean gear to look over the scene. "Thanks, Alexa. Your guys are talking to the guests and staff?"

"Yup. Should I call them off?" Alexa Mewes asked.

"No, I appreciate the legwork. I'll need…"

"…Copies of everything." Alexa nodded, finishing his sentence. She pulled a case from her vehicle and slammed the door. "It's not my first dance with the FBI, Agent Booth."

"Great. I think your guys are having a calming effect on the crowd too."

"Protect and serve." Alexa grinned. "When does your cavalry ride in?"

Booth lifted a brow and took the heavy case from her. "Already here." He nodded his head back toward the table where Brennan sat with her team speaking to a police officer.

"You feebs sure dress up for murder." Alexa said, looking over the squints.

"They're not _feebs_." Booth said, emphasizing the unattractive nickname. "They're squints."

Immediately, the detective nodded her understanding of the term. "Got it. Well, we could use some squints." She took the case from him, opened it on a banquet table and dug out blue soft shoes and latex gloves. "Here. Lucky for you D.C. likes one-size-fits-all. We aren't quite the same size." She gave him a slow approving look. Booth couldn't help sliding a glance over her in return. _Geez!_ She was like Detective Barbie. And she was definitely flirting.

"Booth, will you tell Officer Meshke I can go so I can retrieve my gear?" Brennan demanded, approaching at his elbow with a policeman, presumably Office Meshke, in tow.

Without hesitation Booth turned to the man. "Agent Booth, FBI. She's okay to go. She's my partner." The officer slid a glance to Alexa for confirmation and she nodded.

"Thank you for your time, Doctor." Meshke said politely to Brennan, and hied himself off to take more statements.

"Thanks, Booth." Brennan smiled at him, barely flicking a glance over Alexa. "I'll be right back." She pivoted on those mind-blowing high heels and glided away. Booth's eyes lingered over her slim back on display through the gauzy fabric and the swish of her hips.

"Well, damn. So much for being the next Bond girl. The role is clearly taken." Alexa said frankly, laughing at Booth when he gave her a startled look.

"That's my partner." Booth said quickly.

"Uh huh." Alexa said with an amused look. "Do I need to remind you that I'm a detective? I'm not easily fooled. How long do you think she'll be?"

"She's fast." Booth said. "Let's wait for her. I'd like to go over everything together."

"No problem." Alexa glanced at her watch and relaxed against the table. "So what's your partner's name?"

"Doctor Temperance Brennan. I'll introduce you when she gets back." Booth said. "Look, she…has sort of tunnel vision when she's focused. She wasn't being rude before."

Alexa shrugged, unhurt and unconcerned. Then realization dawned. "Doctor Temperance Brennan?!" She asked, her voice pitching upwards in excitement. "The _author_?"

Booth grinned. "Yup. New York Times Bestseller." He confirmed with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Oh, I'm going to disgrace myself. I'm such a huge fan." Alexa said, pressing her hands to her cheeks. Suddenly she blinked. "You're Seeley Booth. She dedicated her last book to you. Oh my God. You're_ Special Agent Andy Lister_."

"Hey. No." Booth protested, his shoulders stiffening.

Alexa's eyes took on a whole new feminine gleam as she stared at Booth now. "Wow, those scenes with Kathy and Andy…" She said with fascination.

"Are fiction." Booth finished flatly. His eyes darted around, landing on Brennan who was returning in her field suit. "Bones!" He said with relief. "Come on!"

Alexa and Booth made their way across the still-crowded ballroom to Brennan and all three headed toward the crime scene. As they walked, Booth made introductions. "Alexa, this is Doctor Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian. Bones, Detective Alexa Mewes with D.C. Metro."

"Hello." Brennan greeted with indifference, assessing the brunette.

"Doctor Brennan, I'm so glad to meet you. I'm such a fan of your books." Alexa said, successfully controlling her impulse to gush.

"Thank you." Brennan said, her countenance warming slightly. All three people ducked under the taped-off section of the museum into the display where the director of Archaeology lay surrounded by crime scene technicians who were gingerly doing their work. "Booth, Hodgins and Cam should be in here you know."

"Alexa, can you spring my people so they can join us?" Booth said.

"You got it." Alexa said, leaving the partners with the scene.

"She has excellent proportions." Brennan said in a coolly clinical tone, watching her go.

Booth coughed to cover a laugh. "Yeah, I noticed that. Alright Bones, what've we got here?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Well, this is a_ body_." Brennan said irritably. She bent over the man and narrowed her eyes. "It appears Doctor Felding was stabbed repeatedly with a great deal of force. A portion of his ribs and sternum are actually exposed. If I remove the flesh I'll be able to…" She trailed off and peered closer. "There are flecks of something in this wound." She straightened and stood. "Flesh really isn't my field. Cam and Hodgins should see this."

"Oh, man. Someone really hated Felding." Hodgins said at that moment as he ducked under the police barrier, wearing blue booties. "Cam's changing, she said to bring the body over and she'll check him into the lab."

"Hodgins, will you take samples? I don't want to wait for chain of custody on the police samples." Brennan said.

"You got it, Doctor B." Hodgins set to work.

Brennan snapped off her gloves and moved to the edge of the scene as Booth looked everything over with a critical eye. When he was finished he joined her, slipping his dress shoes from the stretchy blue booties and wadding them up. "Come on. Let's get you on your way home. I'm gonna be here for a while."

"I'll stay." Brennan said.

"Bones, I just took charge of this case. I'm might be here for hours with the number of people we need to speak with. I'll get one of the officers to give me a ride home. I'm sure Detective Mewes would spare someone." Booth said reasonably.

"Detective Mewes would take you home herself." Brennan said coolly.

Booth blinked at her tone but refrained from responding to the comment. Instead, he said. "'Kay, once the last few people are sent home and Cam checks the body into the lab, I'll be ready to go. If you're serious about staying, I'll try to make it quick."

Brennan nodded briskly. Booth hesitated, feeling as if something was unsettled between them. Booth frowned to himself and strode off to start taking statements and hurry things along. Brennan turned and went to go help Hodgins with sample gathering from the scene, her elegant hairstyle and makeup as incongruent with the picture as Hodgins' tux.

It was another two and a half hours before Booth went looking for Brennan and found her in her office poring over a set of x-ray images on the sofa. He knocked softly on the doorframe. "Bones?" He said. She looked up at him, a small line of concentration between her brows. "Ready?" He asked.

"Is everything finished for the night?" Brennan asked. She had taken off her jumpsuit and sat with one foot curled under her wearing navy yoga pants and an oversized white v-neck t-shirt. She had undone her hair, pulled it into a ponytail holder on top of her head, and scrubbed her face. She looked like a college student. A college student who was – Booth was male, healthy, and particularly attuned to the details of Brennan's body –_ definitely_ not wearing a bra.

Booth's body tensed and realized he was staring. He cleared his throat. "Yup." He replied, running a weary hand over his face to try to clear his thoughts.

Brennan looked him over. He was still in his tux, but his tie was once again stuffed into his jacket pocket and his hair looked rumpled. A stab of emotion shot through her, a yearning to nurture and comfort that flustered her. She decided to allow it. "Come on." She said in a caring voice, rising to her feet. She slipped her feet into ballet shoes and pulled on a grey sweatshirt, zipping it up. "I'll bring you home." She picked up her bag of evening clothes and brushed past him toward the door, collecting him in the process.

Booth blew out a breath and let himself relax. He followed her out toward the parking lot, taking her bag and cupping a hand on her elbow, not to steady her or hurry her, but simply to soothe himself by touching her. "Are you hungry?" He asked, falling back into the role of protector.

"Yes. I didn't eat much since I was speaking during dinner." Brennan said.

"Let's stop for something. I'm too wound up to sleep and I'm starving." Booth said. They approached her car and Brennan clicked the locks. Booth stowed her bag in the backseat and got into the passenger side. They drove to a favorite local all-night diner and got a window booth, sitting across from each other in comfortable two-fold silence as a tired-looking waitress brought Brennan a wedge salad and Booth a burger and fries. The plates had no sooner hit the table than Brennan reached over a stole the first French fry off Booth's plate. He smiled at her. "I'll _let _you steal my fries because you stuck around to give me a ride." He said teasingly.

Brennan gave him a mischievous smile and ate the fry at him. "It was no trouble." She said around the bite.

Booth took a big bite of his burger and groaned happily. Chewing and swallowing he said. "Yeah, well, thanks though. I wasn't sure if I wanted to ask Alexa Mewes for a favor."

"She was very beautiful and seemed quite intelligent and witty…" Brennan said in a carefully neutral tone.

Booth's eyes narrowed slightly, catching the nuance of jealousy for the second time and quietly filing it away. He shrugged. "Yes, she was. But she was more interested in Andy Lister and James Bond. I'm sure I couldn't add up."

Brennan chuckled then looked down at her salad before saying. "Truth is better than fiction."

"Thanks, Bones." Booth said softly. He gave her a crooked smile. A moment passed in thick silence.

"Maybe she wants to be Miss Moneypenny." Brennan broke the spell with a teasing tone, pleased with herself that she was able to roll with all the cultural references.

"If anyone's my Moneypenny, it's you." Booth said. "Professional, keep me on my toes, no nonsense…and you like the way I look in a tux." He grinned at her cockily and dusted one sleeve of his jacket.

Brennan raised an eyebrow, smothered a smile, and stole another fry. Booth slapped at her hand ineffectively and resumed his systematic demolition of the burger.

Their plates were nearly empty when Booth's phone rang. He wiped his hands and checked his watch. "This can't be good at three thirty in the morning." He said, taking the call. "Booth."

Brennan waved for the check and pushed away Booth's hand when he reached for it.

"Damn it!" He said into the phone. "On my way." He hit the 'end' button and said. "Sorry, Bones, can I hitch a lift back to the Jeffersonian? The night guard just found a second body in the museum."

"Of course." Brennan said. Both rose and tossed napkins into mostly-empty plates.

"Sorry about this." Booth said again with a sigh.

Brennan shook her head. "It's no problem. I'm coming with you."


	5. Chapter 5

When Booth and Brennan arrived back at the museum, Cam was already at the scene with the police team and Detective Mewes. "I hadn't left my office yet." Cam explained with a tired smile. "Wait'll you see this one."

They made their way into the archaeology lab and Booth said. "Woah. That's not fresh."

"No. It. Is. Not." Confirmed Cam with raised eyebrows.

"Caucasian female, late teens early twenties…dead approximately a week. It's difficult to tell." Brennan said, her eyebrows drawing together. The remains were in a bin of liquid and had deteriorated a great deal. "What is this liquid?"

"It's a very mild corrosive. The department had been using it to clean some bronze tools and weapons and had sealed and marked it for hazardous waste pickup. Mister Hess noticed the seal was broken and the lid was askew when he made his rounds." Cam said, indicating the security guard, an older African-American man who was seated down the corridor with a policewoman who was gently handing him a cup. His face was ashen and he looked terribly shaken.

Alexa Mewes joined them at this moment and said. "Hey, there." With a gleaming look at Booth. "Are you taking this one too?"

"Yep, is that going to be a problem?" Booth replied, all business, feeling Brennan's watchful eyes on him.

"Not from me. I've got enough on my plate without begging for more work. D.C.'s a popular place to get killed, you know?" She said, her sharp hazel eyes shifting between Booth and Brennan. She smiled brightly and turned to Cam. "Doctor Saroyan, I presume?"

"That's right." Cam said, smiling back and shaking her hand.

"Detective Alexa Mewes, D.C. Metro." Alexa said. "My people will help Agent Booth wrap this up and be out of your hair. Let me know if I can be of any help."

"I'll do that." Cam said with an amused gleam in her eye, too smart and too familiar with Seeley Booth not to notice his edginess around the stunning detective.

"Brown hair. Long brown hair." Brennan piped, having turned back to the body. "Glasses. I believe this is a lab coat. You should check to see if any staff has been absent in the last week." She said to Booth. He was writing in his notepad rapidly. "Or…interns. Given her approximate age."

"Good one. Thanks, Bones." He said. "Bring it all over to the lab?" He guessed.

"Yes." Brennan said briskly. "Everything."

"Alright. You heard the lady." He said to the police crime scene technicians. Alexa nodded her concurrence and they finished cataloging the scene and began working out a way to transport everything to the other wing of the Jeffersonian. "I've gotta talk to Mister Hess." Booth said to Brennan. "You need to get some sleep. I'll find a way home."

Brennan looked stubborn, Booth didn't miss her eyes quickly darting to Alexa Mewes and he almost smiled at her.

"I'll give you a ride home, Seeley." Cam said, smothering a smile. "Once I check this into the lab, we should both be okay to get out of here till morning….well…till later this morning anyway."

Brennan was relieved but her face remained impassive. "Alright then. I'll see you in a few hours." She said.

"I'll walk you out." Booth said. "That lot isn't lit properly."

"I'll be fine." Brennan protested.

Booth dug in his heels. "Alexa, get one of your guys to walk Doctor Brennan out, please." He said in a no-arguments tone.

Alexa Mewes was a very smart woman and knew her chance with Seeley Booth was nil, especially after this macho display. She was now very amused and met Cam's also-laughing eyes before saying. "Davis? Walk the Doctor out, will you?"

"Ma'am." The very young officer said and hurried over. He smiled at Brennan. "Are you really Doctor Temperance Brennan? The author?" He asked eagerly.

He was too young and too much like a golden retriever puppy for Brennan to be aloof. She smiled. "I am." She walked with him out the door, only casting a brief last glance at Booth that held a mixture of annoyance and watchfulness.

"The good news is I've got copies of all the reports and the list of guests and staff for you." Alexa said, digging into a file and handing Booth a stack of papers.

"You work fast." He said with some admiration.

"Oh, stop it. That's how a girl gets a reputation." Alexa said with a smirk, not able to stop herself from flirting with a gorgeous man in a tux no matter how unavailable. "I had an hour and put it all together while I grabbed something to eat. I didn't read it all, just collected my people's handwritten reports and ran a copy for you. Good luck with Davis's chicken-scratch."

"Huh." Booth replied absently, skimming the first sheet. "It'll take a while to dig through this, but thanks."

"There were about four hundred people in the building tonight." Cam said, looking over Booth's shoulder at the documents. The police techs had mobilized the bin by lifting it – using six officers – and putting it onto a rolling dolly.

"But if these two deaths were related, it narrows the list to people who have been in the area for the past week and people with access to the Jeffersonian archaeology labs." Booth said.

"And if they aren't related?" Cam said.

"Oh, they're related." Booth said. "Twenty-to-one the flecks in the wounds on Doctor Felding's body are from an ancient bronze weapon…recently cleaned in a mild corrosive." He gave the two women a smug look when they both looked suitably impressed. "Well, I'm going to talk to Mister Hess and then get him on his way. Cam, I'll meet you in the labs?"

"You got it. I'll leave a note for Hodgins to check those particulates and confirm their origin first thing in the morning." She said, following the police technicians and the bin.

"Detective." Booth nodded stiffly at Alexa.

"Agent Booth." She replied. "Relax. You're safe with me. You're clearly…unavailable. And you might be surprised to know that I'm not used to needing to convince men to like me." She laughed.

"I…" Booth didn't know what to say to this, so he didn't try. "Thanks for your help on this. I'll let you know if I need anything else."

"Great." Alexa stuck out her hand. He shook it and headed over to the security guard.


End file.
